Alex Brecher

You mean Eduardo Zonta. He's currently Dr. Luis Cervantes's personal assistant. Eduardo Zonta used to be Dr. Carlos Altamirano's personal assistant. It's a small world......Dr. Cervantes used to be Dr. Altamirano's surgical assistant. Hospital Guadalajara is covering up this death as they've covered up Dr. Altamirano's patient deaths at the same facility. Please don't select your bariatric surgeon based on price. I suggest doing more research before selecting your surgeon.

You can block members here.

Ok, what's not true, exaclty? I have given you MANY opportunities to come clean and be honest with everyone in an open forum. You are incorrect. It's the US consulate that deals with US citizens in Mexico. Why in heavens would the Mexican consulate get involved with a US citizen's death and their 14-year-old child that was left without a mother all alone after she passed away? Please, don't twist my words. I stated that Dr. Illan has performed over 8500 surgeries and has never had a patient die after weight loss surgery. He had one complication (a leak) which was repaired within 24 hours.

We just had another (supposed) ALM patient confirm there was another patient death at A Lighter Me (ALM) with Dr. Jose Luis Curiel Marchena. She claims that she was there. How can you continue posting that this is fake news? These facts aren't disputable. It's truly sad. Patients need to know the truth about surgeons and companies they deal with when coming down to Tijuana.

A mom from Wisconsin. Funny how your IP address is showing you as located in Pompano Beach, Florida. Seems that your claimed location is the only fake news on here.

I LOVE PB2! We carry it in the BariatricPal Store at https://store.bariatricpal.com/collections/bell-plantation

Let's please deal with FACTS. Please stop trying to deflect the subject at hand. A patient died while under your companies care. They had a minor who was 14 years old with them and the child was stranded in Tijuana while their mother was in the morgue. Sandy, I just walked out of a meeting with two of the most influential bariatric surgeons in Tijuana. The entire weight loss surgery community is aware of this death. I lost any and all trust I had in you. You are 100% not telling the truth about this matter!! Here are the facts I've learned so far: Dr. Jose Luis Curiel Marchena had a patient die after he operated on them This person who died was an ALM (A Lighter Me) patient The procedure was done at Hospital Mi Doctor and the patient died there The patient brought their 14-year-old child with them. They might have been their official companion but they were the only other family member that was brought with them.

Sandy, you know that it would be morally and ethically wrong for me to mention the patient's name on here. I was passing on information that was given to me by a trusted source today. My source is someone that works at the US consulate. I've been in Tijuana for the last week. I'm generally here every 3-4 weeks. Are you denying that a weight loss surgery patient recently died under the care of Dr. Jose Luis Curiel Marchena?? Yes, I stand by my claim that BariatricPal TeamMX's surgeon, Dr. Illan has performed over 8500 surgeries and has never had a patient die after surgery. I invite you and anyone to research these numbers. We are very transparent about how we operate. I had Lap-Band surgery in 2003 performed in NYC. I started this community the night I came home from surgery. What in heaven does that have to do with the patient death I posted about?

No way! You can read more about my background on my LinkedIn profile.

I am 100% sure that this patient died after having surgery with Dr. Jose Luis Curiel Marchena . What I'm not certain yet is if the patient was a private patient of Dr. Jose Luis Curiel Marchena or an A Lighter Me (ALM) patient. We can just ask the owner of ALM @Sandy Johnson to verify is this is true or false. She is a longstanding member of BariatricPal forums and has verified these types of stories previously.

Here are two surgeons in Tijuana: Dr. Jalil Illan Fraijo has performed over 8500 surgeries without a patient death. Dr. Lisa Marie Pompa has also performed thousands of procedures without a patient death.

I've verified that this is 100% true. You can't bring a 14 year old there? Where are you getting your info? You most definitly can. You do have to be pretty foolish to bring a child alone with you to Mexico. I see many patients that come with children but always bring another adult.

I respectfully disagree. There are a handful of amazing surgeons that have never had a patient death or multiple patient deaths.

I'm in Tijuana at the moment and I'm normally here every month. The TJ Bariatric surgeons and nurses know one another and nothing happens without the entire town knowing about it, especially a patient fatality. I just called two surgeons to double confirm and I'm 100% this occurred. All I know is the patient passed away. I don't have details about the complication(s) that occurred.

If both parents are obese, each of their children has an 80% chance of being obese. The percent decreases to 40% if one parent is obese. What if both parents are of normal weight? Children have only a 13% chance of being obese. Overweight children are more likely to become overweight adults, and you know what a hard road that is to go down if you yourself have struggled with obesity. How can you keep your children healthy and prevent them from suffering from the physical and emotional problems that can happen as the result of obesity? These are some ideas for handling the situation in positive ways. Never Shame Them Do not blame your children for being overweight, or make them feel bad about themselves or their bodies. Always let them how proud you are of them and how much you love them. Overweight children need more support than ever if they are feeling different from their peers or even bullied at school. Pinpoint the Causes While it is easy to say, “It just happened,” or, “It is unavoidable,” the truth is more likely that you can identify some causes of your child’s weight problem. They might be happening at home or at school. Examples include: Not enough exercise – did you know kids are supposed to be active for 60 minutes a day? Too much junk food – how often do you opt for fast food for a quick meal while driving your children to activities, or send them to school with chips or a soda in their lunch because they are convenient? Too much screen time – a good limit is a total of 2 hours online or in front of a computer, television, or video game console. Offering dessert as a reward – never use food as a reward or imply that healthy foods are a chore to get through before dessert. Involve Your Pediatrician Doctors do not always recognize childhood obesity or know how to treat it. Bring it up if your child’s pediatrician does not directly address it. You may be entitled to extra help through your health insurance plan. Possibilities include nutritional counseling, enrollment in a weight control program, and sessions with an exercise physiologist. Be a Role Model It may not always seem like it, but children look up to their parents. You can help them out by modeling the healthy behaviors you want them to show. You can do that by following your weight loss surgery diet and exercise program – or eating right and being active, just like you want your children to do. Eat a proper breakfast, snack on fruit and vegetables, and make it a point to get active every day. By doing these things, you will help your children learn how to act healthy, as well as keep them from feeling isolated if you force healthy behaviors on them. You can also be a role model with your attitudes. Complain about your diet to your friends, not to your children. In front of your children, embrace your healthy lifestyle. Kids need to see how much fun you think it is to walk to the library or supermarket, how delicious you find that snack of peanut butter and apple slices, and how neat it is to pack a healthy lunch instead of taking money for the vending machine at school. Make It Easy Like you, kids will naturally choose the easy option. So, make the right choices the easy ones for them. Leave washed grapes and string cheese sticks in the fridge for them to grab quickly, and have a fruit bowl on the counter for easy access for snacks. Keep unhealthy treats out of the house or leave them out of sight so they are only for occasional times. Give Them Control Let your children be in charge as appropriate for their ages. You can give them options such as: “Do you want me to cook zucchini or broccoli in the tomato sauce?” “Do you prefer a salad or tomato soup with your sandwich?” “Do you want to shoot hoops would you rather walk to the library?” You can let older kids help you in the kitchen or pack their own lunches from among healthy choices that you offer. That way they can be proud of their own actions. You may have struggled with your weight for years, but that does not mean you cannot give your children a healthy start. Apply what you have learned throughout your weight loss surgery journey, keep a positive attitude, and stand with them the whole way, and your children can be as healthy as you want them to be.

We carry Yunmai wireless scales and the infamous Escali scales in the BariatricPal Store. I personally use the Yunmai and love it!

Dr. Luis Cervantes had a patient death about three weeks ago at Hospital Guadalajara in Tijuana. I suggest looking for another surgeon. There are quite a few good ones in Mexico! No need to put your life at risk.

Choosing a surgeon is one of the most important decisions you will make when getting weight loss surgery. The right surgeon can get you through surgery and put you on the path towards lasting weight loss. So how do you choose a weight loss surgeon? You may already know that you should think about the quantifiable aspects: think numbers. You want to know how much weight that surgeon’s patients tend to lose, what kind of complication rates does the surgeon see and which types of complications do they tend to be, and how much experience the surgeon has in terms of lifetime surgeries and current number of surgeries they performed per month. But what about the rest? What about “bedside manner” and all the things it includes? Finding a surgeon with great statistics may not be enough to guarantee that you have found the best surgeon for yourself. There are some less definable characteristics to think about. Explains well Your surgeon should be able to explain everything you want to know in terms you can understand. If you are the type of person who needs to question every detail, you need a surgeon who is willing to take the time to explain everything you want to know at the level of detail you are requesting. Don’t accept “because I said so” as an answer. Even if you are not the type to ask many questions, you still need to be able to communicate with your surgeon. You need to understand basics such as your surgery options, what to expect in the hospital, and your pre-op and post-op instructions. Keep looking for another surgeon if the one you’re considering now cannot explain well. It is the surgeon’s responsibility to do so; you are not “dumb” for not understanding. Treats You with Respect Basic respect can make your entire experience more pleasant, safer, and more successful. “Respect” is complicated, but it can include some of the following. Treating you as an individual rather than giving you cookie cutter treatment. Taking your concerns seriously. Giving you information to help you make decisions, rather than forcing decisions on you. Discusses risks and expected weight loss seriously with you, and does not make unrealistic promises about surgery safety and impossibly fast weight loss. Is Accessible There may be times when you have a question or concern that cannot wait until your next appointment. Is your surgeon accessible? If not, does your surgeon have someone else you can call at any time? Find out what happens if you need to contact your surgeon, or a nurse or the nutritionist, during or after business hours. You want to be sure you are in good hands at all times. Focuses on the Future You’ve heard over and over that weight loss surgery gives you a tool, and that the rest is up to you. You’ve also heard that this is a change for life, not a quick fix for a few months or a year. Your surgeon should be giving you that same message. Stay clear of any surgeon who does not discuss the future with you. Be wary if the surgeon seems to believe that his surgery will be enough to get you to the weight you want. As much as you may want to believe it, it is not true. You will need to eat right and work hard for years to get your weight under control, and you need a surgeon who will support you every step of the way. Gives You Confidence No matter what happens in your life, which decisions you make about surgery, and what triumphs and challenges your weight loss surgery journey includes, things will be better if you feel positively about them. Your surgeon can help by giving you confidence that: He or She will take care of you no matter what. He or She believes in you. You are making the right decisions for yourself. This can be difficult to judge, but see how you feel after walking out of the surgeon’s office. Do you feel excited and hopeful? Or do you feel overwhelmed and daunted? A few nerves are normal, but you should also feel that you can do this. If not, find a surgeon who does let you feel self-confident. Fantastic surgeons are out there, and you deserve one, but you may need to put in some effort to find one. After checking out the statistics, you may need to depend on your gut to help you make the right decision. You can go into surgery with more confidence when your surgeon is communicative, respectful, and positive.

It may seem like it, but we weren’t all born 50 or 100 lbs. overweight. At some point earlier or later, the weight started coming on and got out of control. For a lot of people who are WLS patients or considering it, the causes of the weight gain are obvious looking back. You might have had parents who equated food with love, or whose idea of fruits and vegetables included banana splits and chili cheese fries. Or maybe you remember turning to food because it was there for you when you felt alone, or you were always hungry, or you simply didn’t know what to eat or how much was reasonable. What caused your own weight gain? Was it one event that you can point to that led to emotional eating or giving up on yourself? Was it a constant hunger? Do you think it was genetic? Share your stories here!

This issue should now be resolved. Please, let me know if it isn't on your end.

Happy Easter! If you’re Jewish, Happy Passover! And if you do not Celebrate either of those, Happy Spring! Any day is a good day for celebration, and any day is a good day for weight loss. Read this newsletter, and you might get a better handle on both! Here is what you will find in this newsletter. Bariatric Friendly Foods for Easter and Passover Quick Tips for Spring Weight Loss Surgery Success Plan a Healthy Spring Break for Weight Loss Take a few minutes after you read the newsletter to thank yourself and your commitment to your health. Then we suggest appreciating your friends and family – after all, that is what holidays are about. Finally, we hope you will head over to the Alex Brecher Founder, BariatricPal Bariatric Friendly Foods for Easter and Passover food is sure to be at the center if you are celebrating a holiday with friends or family. Your tasks are to avoid the bad ones, choose the good ones, and keep portions in check to stay on your diet. Easy peasy, right? Actually, it is possible if you are careful! Your Weight Loss Easter Basket You do not need to give up your Easter basket just because you are grown up, and you do not need to give it up just because you are losing weight. Try a few fun items in your basket that can help inspire you to keep losing weight. You could have chocolate Bars and Peanut Butter Protein Bars instead of regular sugar candy, coffee cake, cheesy potatoes, and sausage casserole. On the other hand, you can easily feel good on Easter Sunday with a few healthier options. Fiber. Breakfast casserole with eggs, vegetarian sausage, spinach, and low-fat cheddar cheese. Fresh fruit with cottage cheese. Monkey bread made with low-carb baking mix and a syrup based on vanilla pudding. Remember, eggs are your friend, so eat up in the name of Easter! Try: Deviled eggs made from hard-boiled egg white halves stuffed with a mixture of cooked crab or shrimp, nonfat plain Greek yogurt, and seasonings such as Dijon mustard, pepper, and diced chives. dinner Table Keep up the good work at dinner, whether you are enjoying a traditional Easter dinner or you are sitting down to a full Passover Seder. Here are a few tips to keep yourself on track. Focus on protein, whether brisket at a Seder or all-natural ham at Easter dinner. Bring or serve, and eat, something green: grilled asparagus, roasted Brussels sprouts, or steaed green Beans. Eat the Soup, not the matzo balls. Cut calories in charoset by using more fresh fruit than dried, and using low-calorie sugar substitute instead of honey if you need it sweeter. Keep dessert healthy by serving meal plan at least 6 days a week until summer starts. Getting in shape to complete a 3-mile hike with your family by June. Small steps add up to big strides so you can hit your goals. Move Towards Meeting Your Goals Once your goals are set, take steps towards meeting them. Call a surgeon if you want weight loss surgery soon. Map out your training schedule and get out the door to walk if you intend to finish your first 5k race soon. Stock up on liquid diets with flying colors. Throw away the bread and Pasta and replace them with vegetables and yogurt if your spring goal is to clean up your diet. Eat Your Greens Nothing symbolizes fresh and healthy starts than spring greens. Find them at your local farmers markets along with other seasonal produce. Try spring green salads with fennel and strawberries, roasted beets and carrots, and turnip soup with parsley. Plan a Healthy Spring Break for Weight Loss Spring break can be a disaster for health and weight loss if you let it. It is tempting to throw caution out the window during spring break after working so hard the entire winter, but lounging around by a hotel pool and going to all-you-can-eat buffets will set you back months. With some planning, you can catch a break and lose some weight this spring. Pack Properly for the Task Pack your bags properly for weight loss before you go on your trip. Bring sturdy shoes and comfortable clothes for walking so you can burn calories anywhere. You can also bring healthy Snacks such as nuts and Protein Bars that can fill you up in a pinch if you find yourself without any other options. Instant Protein oatmeal can keep you away from breakfast buffets if you just use the coffee maker in your hotel room to make hot Water. Try Healthified Recipes Cut loose, but not too much, with healthier versions of the foods you love. The BariatricPal Store has all kinds of low-carb, chicken, chocolate mousse, and chocolate peanut butter cup shakes. Whether you celebrate spring with Easter, Passover, or in another way, you can use it as an opportunity to lose more weight and get healthier. We also hope you will use it as a chance to share your new beginnings with us on the forums! ============================================================== If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, you may unsubscribe by going to your Control Panel and clicking on the Newsletters tab, or clicking on the following link: *|unsubscribe|*

Great article! I updated the links.

Weight loss surgery is a life-changing event, and not something to be undergone lightly. Some weight loss surgery candidates know that weight loss surgery is for them, but many others are unsure whether it is time for them to get weight loss surgery. At best, it can help you lose weight and get your life back. At worst, it can cause complications or make you miss your old way of life. How do you know whether weight loss surgery is for you? Will it be the weight control solution you have been searching for for years? Or will it be a decision you regret? Nobody can answer that for you, but here are some considerations as you think about whether weight loss surgery is for you. The Qualifying Criteria You are not a candidate for bariatric surgery unless you meet certain criteria set by your surgeon or, if applicable, your healthcare coverage plan. The standard criteria are: Body Mass Index (BMI) over 40 or BMI 35 with an obesity-related comorbidity, such as type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, or sleep apnea. Confirmation that your obesity is not caused by an underlying condition that would make weight loss surgery ineffective. A psychological exam to show that you are capable of sticking to the post-op diet and lifestyle changes that are necessary. Previous documented attempts at losing weight with diet and exercise. Ineffectiveness of Previous Efforts Weight loss surgery is a last resort, not a first try at losing weight. It is for patients who have been obese for years and who have tried to lose weight using lifestyle changes, such as a modified diet plan and a formal exercise program. Many weight loss surgery patients try “every diet under the sun” before deciding that it is time for WLS. They may have had trouble losing any weight at all, or may have lost weight initially but been unable to keep it off. Readiness to Change Weight loss surgery is just the beginning. The way you eat after weight loss surgery determines how well you will be able to control your weight for the rest of your life. You need to be ready to change if you want to be successful with weight loss surgery. No longer will you be able to down a pizza or hit the drive-through on a whim. Are you ready to possibly: Give up coffee and regular and diet soda? Cut sugary treats and fried foods, especially with gastric bypass? Pass on the alcoholic offerings at home, parties, and restaurants? Count protein, slash carbs, and measure portions? Addressing Other Issues Weight gain does not always take place in a vacuum, and weight loss does not solve other problems you might have in your life. First, identify why you became overweight in the first place, and what is keeping you from losing the weight. Is weight loss surgery the answer, or do you need to first deal with an abusive relationship or lack of self-confidence, for example? Emotional eating is a common reason for weight gain. If you tend to eat your feelings away, you are best off figuring out other ways to handle your feelings before you get surgery. Can you use walking as a form of therapy? Maybe you can join an in-person or online support group to turn to when you feel sad, lonely, or angry. If your emotional eating is related to a specific problem, such as stress at work, your best bet may be to handle the problem before getting WLS. That could mean finding a healthy coping mechanism, or it could mean getting counseling to help you work through the source of stress. It could even mean finding a new job, as scary as that sounds. Consider Replacement Addictions Replacement addictions are common after weight loss surgery. They happen when you give up food – which can be an addiction – for a different addiction. Instead of turning to food for comfort, entertainment, or companionship, some weight loss surgery patients turn to “replacement addictions” or “cross addictions” They may take up smoking, or start to abuse alcohol. Replacement addictions can also be healthier than eating; some weight loss surgery patients become gym rats or take up gardening, sewing, or other hobbies. As you consider weight-loss surgery, think about the possibility of food addiction being replaced by replacement addictions. What role does food play in your life now? What do you see replacing that emotional or physical role after surgery? The decision to get weight loss surgery requires a lot of soul searching for most candidates. These points can help you work through some of the doubts you may have as you try to decide what is best for yourself.

You should be able but check with your surgeon or nutritionist if you have any questions.

Here are links to some great high protein soup recipes: Cream of Chicken and Broccoli Soup Won Ton Soup Broccoli Soup Chicken Vegetable Soup Cream of Broccoli Super Soup Chili for One Cream of Cauliflower Soup Chicken Soup Turkey Chili Cream of Mushroom Super Soup Super Duper Zucchini Soup Broccoli Bisque Oriental Soup Super Creamy Mushroom Soup Hearty Tomato Soup Skinny Gazpacho Celery Soup